Hook having keyway at base of arcuate throat

ABSTRACT

This invention discloses a hook member having the combined features of a substantially arcuate throat to permit easy passage of chain therethrough and a keyway at the base of the throat for receipt of one link of a length of chain, to secure said chain against further passage through the hook.

United States Patent Gower [4 1 May 36, 1972 HOOK HAVING KEYWAY AT BASE OF ARCUATE THROAT Inventor: Roger L. Gower, Rm. 302, 1911 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington, Va. 22202 Filed: Nov. 18, 1970 Appl. No.: 90,735

U.S. Cl ..24/230.5

....A43c 1 H08, A44b 13/00 Field of Search ..24/230.5 CR, 230.5 TP

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Blitz ..24/23g. cR

Roland .L 24/2305 CR Mays ..24/230.s TP

FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 568,911 1/1924 France ..24/230.5 CR

Primary Examiner-Paul R. Gilliam [57] ABSTRACT This invention discloses a hook member having the combined features of a substantially arcuate throat to permit easy passage of chain therethrough and a keyway at the base of the throat for receipt of one link of a length of chain, to secure said chain against further passage through the hook.

5 Claims, 12 Drawing Figures PATENTEDHAYHO I972 3, 665 562 INVENTOR. ROGER L GOWER PATENTEDHAHO i972 665,562

I mm!" 1 |2D IOD ROGER L. GOWER BOOK HAVING KEYWAY AT BASE F ARCUATE THROAT In the chain industry it is common practice to use hooks at the ends of chains for attaching or binding articles as in bundles or for lifting heavy loads. Various types of books are used, including those known as slip hooks," which have throats of dimensions which permit the chain to pass easily, or slip through, and grab hooks," which have narrow slotted throats so as to catch, or grab, one link of a length of chain and thereby prevent further movement of the chain through the hook. Heretofore there has been no single hook which combined the features of a slip hook and a grab hook in a single unit.

The present invention uses the slotted entry disclosed in my patent application titled HOOK HAVING SLOTTED ENTRY, being filed concurrently herewith, and employs a throat orifice partially arcuate and partially straight sided,

withangular lineation from said slotted entry and along two of 1 said straight sides and the arcuate throat to a keyway at the distantmost point in said throat from the eye of the hook. When a link of chain enters said keyway, it is secured therein by the weight of the chain, and the position of the keyway in substantially direct opposition to the eye of the hook ensures a straight pull on the hook and on the chain held therein.

Thus, the invention provides tight security for retaining a bundle or holding a load suspended on a chain, and the versatility of this device eliminates the necessity of providing various types of hooks for various types of connections and purposes. This is commercially important and mechanically practical, since hooks are attached to chains either by welded connecting links or by one or another of the various detachable connectors which are readily available in the market. When hooks are attached to chains by welded links, this makes it necessary to use a special chain for slip-hook work and a different special chain for grab-hook jobs, causing added labor and expense for the moving and handling of numerous different chain assemblies.

The use of detachable connectors makes it possible to carry fewer lengths of chain to a job-site, but it is time consuming to change from one hook to another, and this may be costly in completing a job. Furthermore, much of they work that requires the use of chains, hooks, slings, etc. is performed outdoors, often in very cold weather. For example, the chain hook of the present invention is used in logging operations, which are conducted to a substantial extent in northern woods in the deep of winter. The worker's hands, already stiff with the cold, must be bared to handle the detachable connector, and this direct contact with the frigid metal is either positively painful or so numbing as to prevent effective manipulation of the connector pieces and the hook and chain.

The present hook, when attached to a chain, serves both slip-hook and grab-hook purposes and therefore does not need to be detached and replaced with any other hook. In light of the saving in time, reduction of materials costs, and effectiveness of this invention, its practicality is obvious.

For a better understanding of the invention, reference is madeto the accompanying drawings, in which;

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken on line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a cross-section on line 33 of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 4 is a cross-section taken on line 44 of FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention, having an entry passage achieving a 90 degree turn;

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are cross-sectional views'taken, respectively, on lines 66, 7-7 and 88 of FIG. 5.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the hook of FIG. 1, but with the straight portions of the throat orifice adjacent the entry passage positioned obliquely instead of at right angles with respect to the centerline of said passage.

In FIGS. 11 and 12, the hook of FIG. 5 is shown with the straight portions of the throat orifice adjacent the entry passage positioned obliquely, instead of at right angles, with respect to the centerline of the entry passage where the same enters the throat.

Referring more particularly to the drawings;

In FIG. 1, hook 110 is seen with annular eye 1 1 and throat 12 to which entry is gained through slotted entry 13. Straight sides 14 and 14 adjacent said entry 13 terminate substantially at right angles at 15 and 15, where said lines meet the arcuate portion, or orifice, of throat 12. Keyway 16 opens into said orifice and, having an inside diameter sufficient to accommodate the bar stock of chain with which the hook is used, said keyway holds securely a link of such chain when anchoring thereof is required, while throat 12 permits ready passage of chain therethrough.

The mouth of the hook is shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, with areas 17 and 17 slightly flattened to accommodate the links of chain adjacent the link which is introduced into the throat through entry passage 13; and the walls of the keyway in FIGS. 2 and 4 are shown drawn to opposing vertices l8 and 18, for the like purpose of accommodating the links adjacent the link which is held in the keyway.

The features of the hook 10A shown in FIG. 5 are identified by the numbers used in FIG. 1, with the addition of the letter A to each number. The entry passage 13A of FIG. 5 defines a degree turn while permitting introduction of a chain link through said passage and into the throat 12A. Wall 17 of said passage meets substantially at right angles at 19 with wall 20, and wall 17' meets angularly with wall 20', said walls 20 and 20 forming the outermost portion of the entry passage.

FIGS. 6, 7 and 8 are related to FIG. 5 in the same manner as FIGS. 2, 3 and 4 relate to FIG. 1. It will be noted that at points 20 and 20' of FIG. 6, the hook is slightly flattened, to conform to the flattening at areas 17 and 17 of FIG. 5.

In FIG. 9, the hook of FIG. 1 is shown with walls 14B and 14B disposed obliquely with respect to the centerline of entry passage 138, the angle formed by the meeting of line 1413 with the adjacent wall of said passage being greater than 90 degrees, and the angle formed by line 143 at its meeting with the adjacent wall of said passage being less than 90 degrees.

FIG. 10 shows a reverse direction of lines 14C and 14C, the angle formed by line 14C and the adjacent wall of passage 13C being less than 90 degrees, and the angle of line 14C and the adjacent wall of passage 13C being greater than 90 degrees.

FIG. 11, the features of which are identified by the letter D, shows entry passage 13D achieving a 90 degree turn for introduction of the chain into the throat of the hook, and line 14D at its meeting with the adjacent wall of said entry passage forming an angle of less than 90 degrees, while line 14D achieves an angle of more than 90 degrees at its meeting with the adjacent wall of passage 13D.

FIG. 12, the features of which are identified by the letter E, shows a reverse obliquity of the lines numbered 14. The juncture of line 14E and the wall of passage 13E constitutes an angle greater than 90 degrees, and line 14E, at its juncture with the adjacent wall of passage 13E, achieves an angle of less than 90 degrees.

The oblique lines numbered 14 in FIGS. 9, 10, 11 and 12 provide superior protection against accidental disengagement of the chain and the hook. Chain passing through the throat 12 of the hook is directed by walls 14 into such position that the link which would otherwise achieve exit through passage 13 is deflected from travel through said passage.

The design of this hook at the outer end of the entry passage is such as to prevent accidental engagement by the hook with rocks, brush, weeds, etc. such as would occur with a conventional hook. In the latter, the outermost end of the hook ordinarily forms a reverse curve and in the uses for which this invention is intended, that outwardly curving tip would tend to catch on obstructions such as rocks, or pick up debris. In FIGS. 1, 9 and 10, the outer end of the entry passage is so positioned as to place it in a direct line of the contour of the hook, and in the embodiments of FIGS. 5, l1 and 12, the projecting portion, i.e., on the side of the passage adjacent the eye, is formed arcuately to minimize the tendency to catch. Furthermore, the outer wall of this projecting portion is likewise a part of the pyriform configuration of the hook.

While the eye means is shown in the drawings as an annular ring, a clevis type structure may be used, wherein a transverse pin is inserted through dual rings at the outer end of the clevis. An annular ring type eye is believed preferable for general purposes; however, there may be certain uses for this invention wherein a clevis type closure offers advantages. Since clevis closures, as an independent product, are old in the art, this structure has not been included in the drawings forming a part of this application.

The invention having been thus disclosed, what is claimed 1. A hook having, in combination, an entrance opening leading to a partially arcuate throat permitting the slidable passage of a length of chain therethrough, said throat having one wall defining a straight line and being severed substantially in the central portion thereof and forming an angular meeting with the walls of said entrance opening; the walls of said opening being tapered to permit movement therepast of the links of chain adjacent the link inserted through said opening; and adjacent said throat, a slotted keyway having straight side walls for the receipt of a single link of common chain and an arcuate terminus of said keyway wherein said single link may be lockably retained while said chain is under tension, said side walls being tapered to accommodate the links of chain adjacent said link so retained in the keyway; and eye means integral with said hook.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein one wall of said keyway is adjacent the arcuate portion of said throat, and the severed straight-line wall is directly opposite said arcuate portion of said throat.

3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said keyway is in direct axial alignment with the walls of said entrance opening where the same meet the said severed straight-line wall.

4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said opening is formed by two parallel straight walls.

5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said opening defines a turn. 

1. A hook having, in combination, an entrance opening leading to a partially arcuate throat permitting the slidable passage of a length of chain therethrough, said throat having one wall defining a straight line and being severed substantially in the central portion thereof and forming an angular meeting with the walls of said entrance opening; the walls of said opening being tapered to permit movement therepast of the links of chain adjacent the link inserted through said opening; and adjacent said throat, a slotted keyway having straight side walls for the receipt of a single link of common chain and an arcuate terminus of said keyway wherein said single link may be lockably retained while said chain is under tension, said side walls being tapered to accommodate the links of chain adjacent said link so retained in the keyway; and eye means integral with said hook.
 2. The invention of claim 1 wherein one wall of said keyway is adjacent the arcuate portion of said throat, and the severed straight-line wall is directly opposite said arcuate portion of said throat.
 3. The invention of claim 1 wherein said keyway is in direct axial alignment with the walls of said entrance opening where the same meet the said severed straight-line wall.
 4. The invention of claim 1 wherein the said opening is formed by two parallel straight walls.
 5. The invention of claim 1 wherein said opening defines a turn. 